• Most of the Corvette publicity this year centered on the eagerly-awaited ZR-1 which was claimed to be the world's fastest production automobile.
• After several announcements proved premature, the ZR-1's introduction was delayed until the 1990 model year.
• Meanwhile, the "ordinary" Corvette added a new ZF six-speed manual gearbox with two overdrive ratios.
• To meet fuel-economy standards, the ingen­ious transmission was designed with a computer that sent a signal to prevent shifts from first to second gear unless the gas pedal hit the floor.
• Instead, a blocking pin forced the shifter directly into fourth gear for improved fuel economy during light-throttle oper­ation.
• Joining the option list was a new FX3 Delco­Bustein Selective Ride Control system with a switch to select the desired degree of shock absorber damping for touring, sport, or competition driving.
• Only hatchbacks with a manual transmission and the Z51 Performance Handling package could get the ride-control option.
• For the first time since 1975, a removable fiberglass hardtop became available for the convertible, but not until late in the model year.
• Corvette colors were
  • White
  • Medium Blue Metallic
  • Dark Blue Metallic
  • Black
  • Dark Red Metallic
  • Bright Red
  • Gray Metallic
  • Charcoal Metallic
• Chevrolet also painted 33 cars in two non-standard colors.
• Six were done in Yellow and 27 were done in Arctic Pearl.
• Interior trims came in Blue; Black; Gray; Red; Saddle; and White.
• A removable body-color roof panel for hatchbacks or body-color convertible top were stan­dard, along with cloth upholstery.

I.D. NUMBERS

• The serial number [Vehicle Identification Number -- VIN] was stamped on a plate on the inner vertical surface of the left windshield pillar visible through the windshield.
• The Coupe serial numbers ranged from 1G1YY218*K5100001 to 1G1YY218*K5126328
• The Convertible serial numbers ranged from 1G1YY318*K5100001 to 1G1YY318*K5126328

  Position	Character	Description
  1	1	US built
  2	G	General Motors product
  3	1	Chevrolet Motor Division vehicle
  4	Y	Type of restraint system
  5	Y	Corvette car line series
  6	2 or 3	Body style number 2 = Two door hatchback style 07, 08, 77, or 87 3 = Two door convertible style 67
  7	1 or 2	1=Manual seat belts 3=Manual belts with driver-inflatable restraint system 4=Automatic belts
  8	8	5.7-liter Tuned-Port-Injection Chevrolet or GM of Canada V8
  9	?	A check digit that calculates the characters in the serial number and gives it a single digit code and can be used to verify that the serial number is legitimate
  10	K	The model year where 1989
  11	5	Bowling Green, KY
  12-17	100001 and up	production sequence for coupes and convertibles

• Corvette engines have the last six digits of the VIN stamped on the block just ahead of the cylinder head on the right-hand side combined with a three-letter engine code suffix
• Also cast into the top rear of the block is a four-symbol code indicating when the engine was built
  • The first letter of the date code shows the month the block was cast
  • The one or two numbers shows the month
  • The last digit shows the year
• Engine suffixes:

  Code	Engine	Horsepower	Compression	Transmission	Fuel Supply	Extra features
  ZRA	L98 350-cid	240/245-hp V-8	9.5:1	manual	tuned port injection	Engine oil cooler
  ZRC	L98 350-cid	240/245-hp V-8	9.5:1	THM automatic	tuned port injection	Engine oil cooler
  ZRB	L98 350-cid	240/245-hp V-8	9.5:1	THM automatic	tuned port injection

• The 1989 Corvette exterior colors were:
  • 10 = White
  • 20 = Medium Blue Metallic
  • 28 = Dark Blue Metallic
  • 41 = Black
  • 68 = Dark Red Metallic
  • 81 = Bright Red
  • 90 = Gray Metallic
  • 96 = Charcoal Metallic
  • Chevrolet also paint­ed 33 cars in two non-standard colors
    Six were done in 35 = Yellow and
    27 were done in 31 = Arctic Pearl.
• Upholstery Codes

  Color	Cloth Upholstery	Leather Upholstery
  Black	19C	192
  Saddle	60C	602
  Blue		212
  Red		732
  Gray		902

Model	Model No.	Body/Style No.	Body Type	Factory Price	Shipping Weight	Production Total
Coupe	1Y	Y07	2-dr. Hatch Coupe - 2 passenger	$31,545	3229	16,663
Convertible	1Y	Y67	2-dr. Convertible - 2 passenger	$36,785	3269	9,749

TRANSMISSION

• Automatic Transmission
  • Four-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic (TMH 700-R4)
  • floor-mounted gear shifter
  • gear ratios
    • 1st = 3.06:1
    • 2nd = 1.63:1
    • 3rd = 1.00:1
    • 4th = 0.70:1
    • Rev = 2.29:1
  • Final drive ratio: 2.59:1 or 3.07:1
• Manual Transmission
  • Four-speed manual with overdrive
  • floor-mounted gear shifter
  • gear ratios
    • 1st = 2.88:1
    • 2nd = 1.91:1
    • 3rd = 1.33:1
    • 4th = 1.00:1
    • overdrive = 0.67:1
    • Rev = 2.78:1
  • Final drive ratio: 3.07:1

• RPO AC1 Power passenger seat ($240)
• RPO AC3 Power driver seat ($240).
• RPO AQ9 Leather sports seats ($1025)
• RPO AR9 Base leather seats ($400)
• RPO B2K Callaway Twin Turbo installed by Callaway Engineering ($25,895)
• RPO B4P Radiator boost fan ($75).
• RPO CC2 Auxiliary hardtop for convertible ($1 995).
• RPO C2L Dual removable roof panels for coupe ($915).
• RPO 24S Removable roof panels with blue tint for coupe ($615).
• RPO 64S Removable roof panels with bronze tint for coupe ($615).
• RPO C68 Electronic air condi tioning control ($150).
• RPO D74 Illuminated driver vanity mirror ($58).
• RPO FX3 Selective electronic Ride & Handling ($1695).
• RPO G92 Performance axle ratio 3.07:1 ($22).
• RPO KO5 Engine block heater ($20).
• RPO KC4 Engine oil cooler ($110).
• RPO MN6 Six-speed manual transmission (no-cost option).
• RPO NN5 California emissions requirements ($100).
• RPO UJ6 Low tire pressure warning indicator ($325).
• RPO UU8 Delco-Bose stereo system ($773).
• RPO V0l Heavy-duty radiator ($40).
• RPO V56 Luggage rack for convertible ($140).
• RPO Z51 Performance handling package for hatchback ($575).

• Model-year pro­duction: 26,412.
• Calendar-year production: 25,279.
• Model-year sales by U.S. dealers: 23,928.
• The $25,895 Callaway Twin-Turbo engine package could again be ordered through specific Chevrolet dealers as RPO B2K.
• Cars that received this package were sent from Bowling Green, Kentucky, to the Callaway factory in Old Lyme, Connecticut, to receive engine modifications and other upgrades.
• The 1989 Callaways had 382 hp and 562 lbs.-ft. of torque.
• For 1989 Callaway Twin-Turbo Corvettes a different engine-coding sys­tem was used.
• Callaway engines were stamped with the first two symbols indicating model year, followed by three symbols indicating order in the Callaway production sequence, followed by four symbols matching the last four digits of the Chevrolet VIN.
• Chevrolet built 60 Corvette Challenge cars with stan­dard engines.
• Of these, 30 were shipped to Powell Development of America to receive race-modified engines and other competition modifications for the 1989 Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) Corvette Challenge racing series.
• At the end of the year, these cars had their original factory-numbered engines re­installed.
• Chevrolet built 84 ZR-1 type 1989 Corvettes for testing, but then said on April 19 that the ZR-1's introduction would be delayed until 1990.

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